1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of performance enhancing shoe components or inserts for use in conjunction with various types of foot-ware. More particularly, the present invention relates to the field of performance enhancing shoe components or inserts which absorb and store energy of local loads and forces, through elastic deformation, and then return the energy to the shoe wearer, or to an object struck by a shoe, in useful form as the load is removed.
2. General Background of the Invention
There is a high demand for athletic equipment which enhances the performance of athletes. At all levels of athletic competition, small improvements in performance can be the difference between success and failure. At the highest levels of athletics, the difference of a few tenths or hundredths of a second is all that separates the elite athlete from the ordinary. For this reason, equipment which improves performance even slightly, will be desired in high demand. The newer materials used in tennis racket construction or golf club shafts are examples of equipment which improves performance by absorbing and storing energy, then returns this energy in a useful form as the load is removed.
This high demand for performance enhancing athletic equipment includes the art of athletic shoes and shoe components. Most recent improvements in athletic shoes or athletic shoe components have been made for aesthetic reasons or for comfort or to reduce weight. Few changes in athletic shoes or their components have been for meaningful increases in athletic performance. Present athletic shoes and their components fail to provide an energy return to the wearer. Neither do they absorb energy and return energy to a ball or object struck by the shoe.